Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal to kick off 2021

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 12: Rafael Nadal of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia shake hands during day ten of the singles finals at the 2020 ATP Cup Tennis at Ken Rosewall Arena on January 12, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will kick off their 2021 campaigns at the ATP Cup, which will be held at Melbourne Park from Monday to Friday, February 1 to 5 ahead of the Australian Open.

The two legends led their countries to the final of the team event in its inaugural year last year, with Serbia ultimately lifting the trophy. Djokovic and Nadal met in one of the two singles matches, with the Serb prevailing, 6-2, 7-6 (4). Serbia then won the deciding doubles match to clinch the tie, 2-1.

“This has been—and I keep repeating that—one of the highlights of my career,” Djokovic said after leading his team to victory at the ATP Cup last year. “Because you can’t really match any big win in tennis with the win that you get to share with your team, with your friends, with the people that I have known for the biggest part of my life. So it has been an amazing event. Traveling a couple cities, having fantastic support in Brisbane, Sydney, off the charts. I have never experienced such a support in my matches ever, anywhere, and I have played the biggest stadiums in tennis.

“This was something different.”

The second edition of the ATP Cup will look a lot different to the first, obviously due to travel and scheduling complications because of COVID-19. Last year the event saw 24 teams compete over 10 days across three cities—this year it’s 12 teams and five days, and it’s all at Melbourne Park.

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